Clothes stretcher



Oct. 18, 1949.

w. E. CALDWELL CLOTHES STRETCHER Filed Feb. 26, 1947 INVENTOR. WILLIAM ECALDWEU.

Y J M Patented Oct. 18, 1949 CLOTHES STRETOHER William E. Caldwell, Greenfield, Mass, assignor to Cal-man & Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 26, 1947, Serial No. 730,892

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved type of clothes stretcher and has particular application to a sleeve stretcher and shoulder former such as may be inserted in the sleeve of a garment when it is in the process of being finished or ironed after dry cleaning or laundering.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clothes stretcher and shoulder former particularly one which can be readily collapsed or compressed into a compact unit to faciltate insertion in the sleeve or for packing or shipping purposes and can also be readily expanded to its normal operative position by a simple squeezing or gripping operation.

Another object is the provision of an improved device of the above character which will properly accommodate itself to the sleeve and shoulder of a garment and hold them in the desired position free from wrinkles or distortion.

Other objects include the provision of an improved clothes stretcher of simple and inexpensive but nevertheless sturdy construction which will give satisfactory service for a long period of time.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a sleeve stretcher embodying my invention showing it in extended or normal operating position;

Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe sleeve stretcher in collapsed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the stretcher is released from collapsed position by squeezing or gripping the free ends thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the segmental shoulder engaging portion illustrating the construction thereof.

My invention is particularly applicable to a sleeve stretcher and shoulder former and, in the accompanying drawing, is illustrated as embodied therein. The sleeve stretcher consists generally of a pair of curved arcuate arms or bars 5 and 6 connected in generally parallel relationship by a pair of bowed springs I and 8 and having a segmental shoulder forming portion 9 connected between the outer ends thereof.

The two arms 5 and 6 preferably have smooth, transversely convex, rounded outer surfaces for engaging the lining or the inside of the sleeve or garment. The inner surface of arm 6 is provided with a, pair of notches I0 and II respectively for accommodating the ends of the springs when the device is in the collapsed position shown in Fig. 2.

The springs i and 8 are of substantially the same length and are formed so as to normally assume a generally bowed shape as shown in Fig. 1 but are arranged for a snap action so that the two arms can be brought together in close proximity as shown in Fig. 2 and will be releasably retained in that position by the springs. They are suitably attached to the arms 5 and 6 adjacent their central portions as for instance by screws and at their opposite end they are provided with hinged connections i2 and [3. In this connection the screws connecting the two springs should be offset with respect to each other so as to permit the two arms to lie in very close proximity while the device is being collapsed and expanded. Also, the hinges should preferably be of the fiat design indicated so as to provide clearance for the heads of the rivets or the other fastening means employed for attaching the hinges to the springs. Due to this arrangement the arms 5 and 6 are resiliently held in the extended position shown in Fig. 1 when the device is in use. However, the two arms may be pressed together to collapse the device as shown in Fig, 2. When this is done the bulge or bow of spring 8 is reversed at the opposite end causing a snap action serving to retain the two arms 5 and 6 in close parallel proximity, that is, in the collapsed position shown in Fig. 2.

In closed position it will be appreciated that the arc of spring 1 is determined by the arc of the longitudinal inner surface of arm 5. It will be appreciated that the spring 8 is of substantially the same length as spring 1 and is fastened at both ends to spring I by means of the hinges. Also, the curvature or deflection of spring 8 is controlled or at least limited by the lower arm 6. Accordingly, as the arms are moved together spring 8 is forced past center so as to form a reverse arc. The notches Ill and H facilitate the formation of the reverse arc. When this snap action has taken place spring 8 works against spring 1 and holds the two arms in close parallel proximity as shown.

Notch l l at the free end of arm 6 is deep enough so that the free ends of the arms may be pressed together further, when in collapsed position, to cause a reversing action to release or extend the stretcher. The reversing action must be sufiicient to move the opposite end of arm 5 a suificient distance from the arm 6 to permit spring 8 to snap past center in the manner shown in Fig. 3 so as to cause the device to expand under the action of the springs and assume its normal operative position shown in Fig. 1. This construction enables the operator to release the springs and expand the sleeve stretcher simply by grasping the free ends of the arms and squeezing them toether.

The shoulder forming,portion.9 is formed of a plurality of separate segmental members It having rounded convex abutting faces. The segmental members are mounted upon a pair of.

helical springs l1 anchored at their opposite ends in the arms 5 and 6 respectively and extending outwardly in parallel arcuate relationship. The helical springs l1 extend throughapertures in the segmental members IS. The segmental members are placed in relatively close proximity and, due to the fact that they are provided with-convex abutting faces, they provide a shoulder ene gaging portion which may readily assume any desired degree of curvature.

. When it isdesired touse the sleeve stretcher and shoulder former it is collapsed to the position shown in Fig. 2 and inserted in the sleeve of *the garmentw-ith-portion 9 projecting up into the shoulder. The free ends of the arms are then squeezed together as indicated in Fig. 3 causing the sleeve=stretcher to expand and hold the sleeve in the proper stretched relationship free from wrinkles or distortion. Due to theresilient mounting of the segmental members and due to'thefact'that'they have the convex abutting face referred toabove, the portion 9 readily accommodates itself to thenormal shape and curvature'orthe'garment. Whenit is desired to withdraw the sleeve stretcher and shoulder former frorrr the garment itcan again be collapsedand then readily-withdrawn. When not in use thestretcher-may be collapsed and. packed away. in thatfashion so asto occupy a minimum amount ofspace:

Itwill'thus-be seen that'I have provided an improved garment stretcher, particularly a sleeve stretcher, which can be readily expanded or collapsed and will remain in either expanded or collapsed position until changed by the operator. It will also be seen that the device is of simple and rugged construction and that it is formed so as to stretch the sleeve and shoulder portion and retain them in the desired position free from wrinkles or distortion. Modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiment of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:.

1. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of arcuate arms arranged in generally parallel relationship, snap action means including a pair of bowedsprings connected at their central portions to the respective arms and hingedly connected together-"ar't their; ends, said snap action means being: coopera'bl'e' to hold said arms in spaced parallel relationship "and alternatively in collapsed position in closeiproximity and means including a notch formed in one of the arms in a position to beengaged by the hinged connection at one end of the springs for causing the stretcher to assume its extended position up'on' squeezing one end: of. the: arms' togethenwhen :in"co1lapsed"position;

2. A garment stretcher assetrforth in claim-1 which iis providedrwith a-shoulder forming portion comprising a pluralityvof -segmental'memhers and I an i elongated :resilient support connecting said segmental members between one 'end of said arms .inbowed-relationship.

WILLIAM" E.- CALDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following r'eferencesare of record in the file of this-patent? UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,439,160 Gould Dec. 19, 1922 1,718,066 Pace June 18, 1929 1,758,742 Goldkopf May 13, 1930 2,039,596: Jackson May 5,1936 

